Llull's late heroics helps Madrid beat Efes

Real Madrid stayed strong in the Spanish capital and registered its fifth consecutive win at WiZink Center by topping Anadolu Efes Istanbul 92-84 on Thursday. Madrid improved to 16-4 and is second in the standings. Efes dropped to 13-7, but kept its hold of fourth place. Anthony Randolph led the winners with 24 points on 5-of-6 three-point shooting. Sergio Llull added 19 points plus 8 rebounds, while Edy Tavares had 10 points, 7 boards and 3 blocks for Madrid. Vasilije Micic led Efes with 21 points, Tibor Pleiss scored 15 and Brock Motum had 13 in defeat. The score was tied 21-21 after 10 minutes, 42-42 at halftime and 72-72 midway through the fourth quarter, but Llull stepped up to fuel a 9-0 run that sent Madrid to another win.

Jeffery Taylor got Madrid going with a dunk and Fabien Causeur added a floater for a 4-2 lead. Micic took over with a backdoor layup and a three-pointer in a 0-8 Efes run that Krunoslav Simon capped with a bomb from downtown. Randolph stepped up with a three-point play and a triple, but Simon and Pleiss kept Efes ahead, 11-14. Randolph kept pacing Madrid with back-to-back three-pointers. Rodrigue Beaubois and Micic restored a 17-21 Efes margin. Taylor and an unstoppable Randolph scored around the basket for a 21-21 tie after 10 minutes. Micic downed a triple early in the second quarter and an alley-oop slam by Pleiss made it a 5-point game. Randolph sank his fourth triple and Tavares scored twice in the paint, but Motum answered with 7 quick points for a 28-33 Efes margin. Tavares and Pleiss traded baskets and a three-pointer by Jaycee Carroll kept Madrid within 33-35. Llull nailed a floater in the lane and Rudy Fernandez added a tip-in to put Madrid ahead 37-35 after a 9-2 run. Facu Campazzo hit a triple and Trey Thompkins added a close basket, but an outstanding Micic tied the game, 42-42, at halftime. Tavares followed a tip-in with a layup for a 46-44 Madrid lead soon after the break. Taylor hit a corner triple and a layup by Randolph caused Efes to call timeout at 51-44. Bryant Dunston dunked and then Micic hit a jumper and fed Adrien Moerman for a triple that tied the game again, 51-51. Causeur struck from downtown and Randolph added a jump hook, but through Simon and Micic, Efes tied the game at 57-57. Randolph bettered Pleiss's jumper with a three-pointer and Llull followed free throws with a coast-to-coast layup for a 64-61 Madrid edge after 30 minutes. Carroll hit free throws early in the fourth quarter and Felipe Reyes added 4 quick points for a 70-63 Madrid lead. Pleiss took over with a three-point play and Rodrigue Beaubois added a triple that caused Madrid to stop the game at 70-69. Reyes hit a jump hook that Shane Larkin improved on with a three-pointer. Llull struck twice from downtown and added a jumper in a 9-0 run that gave the hosts an 81-72 margin. Larkin and Motum rescued Efes and Madrid called timeout at 83-78. Dunston split free throws, but Llull and Campazzo restored an 86-79 Madrid lead in the next-to-last minute. Motum scored again, but a three-pointer by Llull sealed the outcome down the stretch.

Pivotal performer

Llull had one of the best all-around games of his career, finishing with 19 points, a career-high 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 fouls drawn for a performance index rating of 19. It was a decisive effort off the bench.

Game-changing moment

A three-pointer by Shane Larkin tied the game at 72-72 with 7 minutes left. Llull, who finished the game with 3-of-12 three-point shooting, hit a pair of bombs from downtown in a 9-0 run in which he also added a jumper. All of a sudden, Madrid led 81-72 and managed to keep a safe margin in crunch time.

Stellar stat

Madrid heavily outrebounded Efes in this game, especially on the offensive end. Madrid collected 46 rebounds compared to 24 for Efes. The hosts pulled down a season-high 18 offensive boards and limited Efes to just 4. Madrid powered the boards and that allowed Los Blancos to win.

Did you notice?

Efes shot the ball better, hitting 54.1% of its field goals (Madrid, 47.9%), had more assists (23, Madrid 21) and fewer turnovers (8, tying its season-low, Madrid 13) but Madrid won the game. Rebounds made the difference - Madrid took 10 more shots and went to the foul line 4 more times.

Head Coaches

LASO, PABLO

Real Madrid

"First of all, congratulations to the kids. I am very happy with tonight's win. Obviously, in a regular season, it is difficult to say which game is more important than another because all of them are important, but due to the situation in the standings, I believe that this game was very important. I believe that the team did a great job. We had a lot of problems related to turnovers in the first half that made the game be balanced. We were able to do other things right, but lacked a bit of rhythm because of so many turnovers and not being able to shoot that much. In the second half, we had a really good start on defense. We got a lead and managed to keep it throughout the second half. Everyone's contribution was key in a game that we expected to be long and difficult because they have a very talented team. Even with the rebounding difference in our favor, the feeling I have is that it was a hard-fought game all the way. I am happy for the victory and my team's effort. You need a high level of focus to win a game like this. The team we had in front of us has a lot of talent: players with great one-on-one skills, with four players stretching the floor with a lot of danger - Motum scored a lot and that hurt us. It was hard for us to find our defensive rhythm because of that. Efes is in the higher part of the standings because they deserve it and because of the great talent they have. It was a game that was really important for us, standings-wise, but we have 10 more games - we have to fight for a playoff spot, then try to get the home-court advantage, but we have to be happy today."

ATAMAN, ERGIN

Anadolu Efes Istanbul

"I think that we played a perfect game, also in the statistics. We are better in field goal shooting, had more assists and less turnovers. Only in the rebounds [we lost] and everybody watched the game. Congratulations to Real Madrid."

Players

LLULL, SERGIO

Real Madrid

"I think it is the key; when we are all having fun together, we play great basketball. We knew Efes is a really good team, they are playing really well this season. It was a tough game, but we got another win at home, an important win, so we are happy. In the EuroLeague, all games are difficult, Efes is now fourth in the standings. They have a really good team with really good players, and we are happy for the victory."

RANDOLPH, ANTHONY

Real Madrid

"It is a very important win against a very, very good team that had a great season in the EuroLeague. I think that we did a better job in the second half, taking care of the ball and executing on the offensive end. It is even better that we got the win, that is more important than anything."